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China-Australia relations
EconomyGlobal Economy

China-Australia relations: Canberra ‘should know’ how to improve relationship, Beijing says

  • China and Australia have been involved in a seven-month conflict involving both trade and non-trade matters
  • Two-way trade between China and Australia is worth around A$240 billion (US$171 billion), while China buys about 39 per cent of Australia’s merchandise exports

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Two-way trade between China and Australia is worth around A$240 billion (US$171 billion), while China buys around 39 per cent of Australia’s merchandise exports. Photo: EPA-EFE
Su-Lin Tan

China has fired another shot in the ongoing trade dispute with Australia, with assistant minister of commerce Li Chenggang saying on Wednesday that Canberra knows “what it needs to do to improve this relationship”.

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The two nations have been involved in a seven-month conflict involving both trade and non-trade matters, with new restrictions on imports of a list of Australian products, namely barley, sugar, red wine, logs, coal, lobster, copper ore and concentrate, believed to have come into force on Friday.
Everyone knows that both sides need to overcome and push to establish a healthy relationship. As to the behaviour of Australia, Australia should know more clearly than us [what it needs to do]
Li Chenggang

“China has upheld a pragmatic attitude to actively pursuing economic and trade relations with all trade partners,” Li said Wednesday at a press conference in Beijing.

“Everyone knows that both sides need to overcome and push to establish a healthy relationship. As to the behaviour of Australia, Australia should know more clearly than us [what it needs to do].”

At a press conference on Friday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin called on Canberra to “reflect” on how it had handled its trade relationship with China in the past when he was asked to elaborate on the proposed suspensions of seven categories of Australian imports.
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Australia’s Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade did not respond directly to a request for comment in response to Wang’s remarks on Friday, instead opting to point to recent comments made by trade minister Simon Birmingham.

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